Gasps of Awe: Slackline Stunt Successfully Performed 120 Meters Above Gwanghwamun

Today, a thin rope was strung 120 meters up in the air between high-rise buildings in the heart of Gwanghwamun, Seoul.

It was a 160-meter-long tightrope connecting the Koreana Hotel and the Dong-A Media Center.

At a dizzying height, world-renowned slackline athlete Jaan Roose took steps forward with both arms outstretched.

There was no safety net between the buildings.

Roose walked the tightrope relying solely on a single safety line attached to his body.


Slacklining is an extreme sport where participants walk, jump, and perform various tricks like rotations while balancing on a flat line about 2.5 to 5 cm wide tightly installed between two points.

This is the first time a slacklining event has been held in a downtown area in South Korea.

The event was sponsored by the Seoul Metropolitan Government and hosted and organized by Red Bull Korea.

Roose, who performed the stunt, is an Estonian athlete who holds multiple records, including winning the slacklining world championship three times.

In 2024, he attempted a slackline crossing of about 3.6 kilometers across the Strait of Messina, connecting mainland Italy and Sicily, becoming the first person to cross the strait.

He is also known as the first athlete to successfully perform a double backflip on a slackline.

Even before the performance began, citizens gathered wherever the rope was clearly visible.

Looking up at the clear autumn sky, one elderly citizen remarked, "Does it make sense for a person to walk way up there? The wind is blowing, how can he keep his balance?"

Safety personnel wearing fluorescent vests moved busily among the citizens.

At around 1:02 PM, when Roose appeared on the rooftop of the Koreana Hotel, gasps erupted from the ground.

While some citizens expressed concern, asking, "Is that safe at all?", others laughed and said, "My hands are shaking uncontrollably."

When Roose finally took his first step into the open air, citizens tilted their heads all the way back to follow his movements.

Everyone held their smartphones high above their heads to capture the scene unfolding 120 meters in the air.

Roose moved his arms widely to maintain balance and proceeded step by step with a calm expression.

Short screams burst from the ground whenever his body tilted slightly to the side.

Roose also showed composure by looking down and waving as if to reassure the crowd.

He even laid his body down flat on the rope.

A 29-year-old office worker surnamed Yeon who works in Gwanghwamun said, "Just looking at it makes cold sweat break out on my palms. It's terrifying, but at the same time, it gives a sense of liberation."

Roose's decision to take on this challenge in Seoul is also tied to his connection with traditional Korean tightrope walking.

Roose reportedly gained a deep impression after encountering traditional Korean tightrope walking during his visit to Korea in 2022 and has maintained a steady interest since then.

Roose reached the end of the 160-meter tightrope in about 15 minutes.

When Roose arrived at the Dong-A Media Center on the opposite side and waved to greet the crowd, citizens who had been watching in breathless silence responded with applause and cheers.

The challenge did not end there.

At around 1:17 PM, Roose began walking the rope again toward the Koreana Hotel where he had started.

The return trip featured even bolder stunts.

He did handstands, hung from the rope with one hand, and hung upside down like a bat with both feet hooked onto the rope.


As he approached the finish point, he even demonstrated a push-up posture on the tightrope.

Exclamations of "Wow" and applause poured out from the ground with every stunt.

A 63-year-old visitor surnamed Kim who traveled to Seoul from Daegu said, "It's a sight I've never seen in my life. I watched it with the heart of a mother worrying about her son. Can you even imagine how much practice he must have put in?" with a smile.


Roose successfully completed the 160-meter tightrope round trip as he arrived back at the Koreana Hotel at around 1:27 PM.

As Roose smiled and waved from 120 meters in the air, rounds of encouraging applause and cheers followed from the ground.

As the event took place in a densely populated urban area 120 meters above ground, the Seoul Metropolitan Government deployed safety personnel intensively to the site.

They also worked to prevent safety accidents by separating viewing zones and pedestrian routes.


(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.